Aircraft typically employ several mechanisms for reducing the speed of the aircraft during a landing roll-out. For example, thrust reversers on the engines may be deployed following touchdown to direct at least a portion of the normally aft-directed engine thrust into a forward direction. The forwardly-directed engine thrust may reduce the length of the landing roll-out wherein the aircraft may slow down to a speed wherein the aircraft may safely exit the runway before reaching the end of the runway.
Spoilers are another mechanism for slowing an aircraft. Spoilers may be deployed from an upper surface of the aircraft wings such as following touchdown to increase aerodynamic drag which may directly slow the aircraft. Spoilers may also indirectly slow the aircraft by disrupting air flowing over the wings which may cause a reduction in the amount of lift generated by the wings. The reduction in wing lift may result in a transfer of the aircraft weight from the wings to the landing gear which may increase the effectiveness of the landing gear braking system. In this regard, the increase in weight on the landing gear may result in an increase in friction between the landing gear wheels and the runway surface which may allow for increased braking force without the wheels skidding.
Occasionally, a runway may become contaminated. For example, in snowy climates, a runway may become contaminated with snow which may reduce traction between the landing gear wheels and the runway surface. The reduced traction may reduce the effectiveness of the landing gear braking system which may result in an increase in the distance required to slow the aircraft to a speed wherein the aircraft may safely exit the runway.
For automotive roadways, frictional material such as sand or gravel may be applied to a snow-covered or ice-covered roadway surface to increase friction with the tires of automobiles and trucks. Conventional studded tires or chains may also be mounted on automobiles and trucks operating on snow-covered roadways to increase traction. Unfortunately, sand or gravel cannot be applied to a runway surface due to the potential for damage to turbine engines upon ingesting such sand, gravel, or other foreign object debris (FOD) into the engine intake. Conventional studded tires and chains cannot be used on aircraft due to the potential for damage to runway surfaces including the potential for FOD that may be generated as a result of studs breaking off and being thrown from a tire under centrifugal force.
As can be seen, there exists a need in the art for a system and method for providing increased traction between a tire on a surface such as a runway surface contaminated with snow or other forms of contamination, and which does not damage a runway surface or generate FOD.